Laboratory homogenizer

ABSTRACT

An homogenizer for laboratory usage for the grinding and homogenizing of animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur and the like including a container and a cutting unit operable through the container cover. The grinding and homogenizing is accomplished by means of the cutting unit which includes three series of blades, the first being a stationary plate blade having obliquely directed holes passing therethrough, the second being a rotary cutting blade which slides against the plate blade, and the third being an axially disposed second rotary blade which assists in both cutting and pumping.

United States Patent Norris [4 1 May 30, 1972 LABORATORY HOMOGENIZER [72] Inventor: George F. Norris, Kensington, Md. 20795 The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Wellare 221 Filed: May 13,1970

[21] Appl.No.: 36,758

[73] Assignee:

{52] U.S. Cl ....24l/90, 241/4617 [51] Int. Cl. ..B02c 13/18 [58] Field olSeareh ..241/46, 46.06, 46.17, 84, 90, 241/100 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,969 1/1924 Thomson ..24l/46 X 3,361,369 1/1968 Ruble ..24l/46. 17

182,398 9/l 876 Wyatt ..24 l /90 2,074,795 3/1937 Mantelet... .....24l/9O 3,053,297 9/1962 Brundler ..24l/9O X Primary xaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Browdy and Neimark [57] ABSTRACT An homogenizer for laboratory usage for the grinding and homogenizing of animal bone, gristle, cartilage. fur and the like including a container and a cutting unit operable through the container cover. The grinding and homogenizing is accomplished by means of the cutting unit which includes three series of blades, the first being a stationary plate blade having obliquely directed holes passing therethrough, the second being a rotary cutting blade which slides against the plate blade, and the third being an axially disposed second rotary blade which assists in both cutting and pumping.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures LABORATORY HOMOGENIZER The present invention relates to an homogenizer, and, more particularly, to an homogenizer for laboratory usage capable of homogenizing animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur and other bio-materials.

While many types of laboratory homogenizers are commercially available, these devices inevitably are incapable of homogenizing all bio-materials. While some devices are capable of effectively homogenizing some laboratory samples, these devices often leave other samples incompletely macerated so as to leave the sample unhomogenized. Other constructions may be successful with other laboratory samples, but unsuccessful with the first-mentioned samples. In addition, besides being less than satisfactory for all samples desired to be homogenized, many of the commercially available homogenizers are unduly complex, large or expensive.

Attempts have been made to use other devices for laboratory usage, such as commercial blenders, but these devices do not adequately mix the samples or macerate them sufficiently to provide a homogeneous product. Devices designed for other purposes, such as garbage disposals, do not sufficiently cut and macerate the material so as to provide a homogeneous product.

There has now been provided in accordance with the present invention an homogenizer construction which overcomes the defects of the prior art, such as indicated above, and which successfully homogenizes for laboratory usage a large class of bio-materials, including animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur, etc. The homogenizer relies on two blades, one of which is stationary and the other of which rotates. The rotating blade has a plurality of cutting edges which are in contact with. and sweep over the stationary plate. Material to be homogenized is sheared by the scissor action between the two blades. The rotating member may also contain other blades off-set in such fashion as to rotate free of contact from the stationary plate. In addition to a first crude chopping operation, these ofl set blades aid in the pumping action which is of prime importance in pulling sample particles into the shearing edges of the scissor action.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to overcome the defects of the prior art, such as indicated above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved laboratory homogenizer.

It is another object of the present invention to homogenize animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur and other bio-materials with a degree of efficiency and quality not obtainable with previously known devices.

It is another object to provide a laboratory homogenizer which can be made in ultra-small homogenizer container size, which is inexpensive, which is easily cleaned, which is not susceptible to contamination, and may be used in working with radio-active samples.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of the above as well as other new and useful objects as will appear below, the invention relates to the features of novelty and substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and shown in the accompanying drawing of an exemplification illustrating this invention and in which:

FIG. IA is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the internal structure of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is an homogenizer container used in conjunction with the structure ofFIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a bottom view of an embodiment of a stationary plate blade such as may be used in the structure of FIG. IA;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the plate blade of FIG. 2A and its supporting structure;

FIG. 3A is a plan view of an embodiment of a rotating cutter assembly of the type shown in FIG. IA, normally used in conjunction with the plate blade of FIG. 2',

FIG. 3B is an elevation of the rotary cutter of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a bottom plan view of a plate blade of the type shown in the construction of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the plate blade of FIG. 4A showing its supporting structure;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a second rotary cutter assembly;

FIG. 5B is an elevation of the cutter assembly of FIG. 5A, normally used with the plate blade construction of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6A is a bottom plan view of a third rotary cutter construction, which may be used as a replacement for the cutter of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 6B is a section taken along line 6B6B of FIG. 6A.

An homogenizer container 10, of generally cylindrical construction, is shown in FIG. 1B. The container 10 is preferably provided with an exterior screw thread 12 at its open end so as to provide cooperation with the container cover, described below. If desired, the container 10 may have a plurality of axially extending indentations 14 in its outer surface extending from its bottom surface upwardly, the purpose of such grooves being to retain the stationary plate blade in stationary position within the homogenizer container 10 during use of the homogenizer.

Noting FIG. 1A, it will be seen that a single unit is provided comprising a removable cover 16 for the container 10, a downwardly depending drive shaft construction [8 and a means 20 at the bottom of the device to cut, macerate and homogenize material within the container 10. The removable cover 16 is provided with a threaded portion 22 for cooperation with the threads 12 of the container 10, although it will be understood that any suitable interconnection other than thread means may be used in such a device.

The drive shaft assembly 18 comprises a drive shaft housing 24 rigidly connected at its upper end to the cover I6, and carrying at each end thereof a suitable bearing 26. Rotatably carried within the housing 24 is a drive shaft 28 which passes through both bearings 26. At the upper part of the device, the drive shaft 28 passes through the container cover 16 and is there rigidly connected to a suitable means 30 carried on the cover 16 for effecting rotary movement of the drive shaft 28 within the housing 24.

The means 20 to cut, macerate and homogenize material within the container 10 comprises a stationary plate blade 32 and a rotary blade element 34 for coaction with the plate blade 32. As illustrated in FIG. IA, the blades 32 and 34 extend radially with respect to the axis of the drive shaft 28 and container 10, and these blade elements are spaced immediately axially adjacent one another. The rotary blade 34 is driven by the drive shaft 28 at a high rate and sweeps over the stationary plate to shear and homogenize by scissor action between the two, material which is contained within the container 10.

The stationary plate blade 32 is preferably of circular construction of a diameter only slightly less than the internal diameter of the container 10. Thus, there may be provided a plurality of circumferentially disposed grooves 36 about the periphery of the plate blade 32 which grooves 36 are employed for circulation of materials in the container 10.

A particularly important feature of the plate blade 32 is the provision of a plurality of openings 38 extending therethrough at an oblique angle. The nature of these openings is best seen in FIGS. 2A and 4A from which it will be understood that by oblique openings it is meant that the opening at one surface of the plate does not directly overlie (or underlie) the opening at the other surface of the plate, and a channel is formed through the body of the plate 32 which is disposed at an angle from the axis of the drive shaft 28. The bottom edges of these openings 38, which are swept by the rotary blade 34, constitute shearing edges which cooperate with the sharp edges of the rotary blade to provide the scissors action. While the illustrated embodiments show four oblique openings, it will be understood that more or less oblique openings may be formed, if desired, and that their shape may depart from the circular.

In addition to the oblique openings 38, the plate blade 32 also is provided with an axial opening extending therethrough, the purpose of which is to provide for connection between the drive shah 28 and the rotating blade 34. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the plate blade 32 is provided with an upper mounting section 40 which surrounds the terminal portion of the crank shafi 24 as well as the lower bearing 26, and which serves to rigidly mount the plate blade 32 onto the terminal end of the shaft housing 24. The rigid connection may be made by any suitable means, such as a set screw 42.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2B, particularly useful for a very short (in height) homogenizer, the plate blade 32' may be integral with the shaft housing 24', in which case no mounting element 40 is necessary.

As indicated previously, the rotary blade 34 is connected to the drive shaft 28 through the axial opening 44 in the plate blade 34. This connection may be made by any suitable means, e.g., the terminal end of the drive shaft 28 may be threaded and the rotary blade structure may be screw thereto and capped with a hex nut, or the rotary cutter blade assembly may be bolted to the terminal end of the drive shah 28 through the opening 44. The rotary blade 34 is driven by the drive shaft 28 at a high rate and in the same direction as the inclination of the oblique openings 38 passing through the plate blade 32.

The homogenizer of the present invention preferably is provided with a second rotary cutter 46 which will normally be integrally associated with the first rotary cutter 34. The second rotary cutter 46 is spaced axially from the plate blade 32 and makes no contact therewith. The purpose of this second rotary blade cutter is, as mentioned above, to aid in efiecting homogenization and to assist in pumping material within the container through the oblique openings 38 in the plate blade 32.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plate blade is provided with four oblique equally spaced openings 38, the first rotary blade cutter 34 comprises a pair of oppositely directed blade elements, and the second rotary blade 46 comprises a pair of oppositely directed, radially extending blade elements disposed at right angles to the elements of the blade 34, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 3 and 5. Comparing FIGS. 3 and 5, it will be seen that the precise structure of these blades may vary somewhat, the construction of FIG. 3 being preferred for smaller homogenizers and that of FIG. 5 for larger homogenizers. In each of these, it will be seen that the leading cutting edges 34' of the cutter 34 is disposed so the cutting edge sweeps the stationary plate blade 32, while the leading cutting edge 46' of the rotary cutter 46 is disposed a maximum distance from the cutting edge 34].

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a modified type of rotary cutter structure, preferably for use in a larger construction homogenizer, which may be substituted for the rotary cutter of FIG. 5. In the device of FIG. 6 the first rotary blade 34' is flat as in the other embodiments to provide effective sweeping against the face of the plate blade 32. However, the second to tary cutter 46' comprises a pair of oppositely directed inclined blade elements disposed at an angle to the flat elements of the first rotary blade member 34'. The device of FIG. 6 may be constructed from a household blender blade by removing two of the six blade elements opposite one another which would interfer with first rotary cutter blade 34' from sweeping cutting edges of plate blade 32.

Use of the homogenizer in accordance with the present invention will be obvious from its construction, although it may be mentioned briefly that the material to be homogenized is merely placed in the container 10 and the assembly of FIG. IA is then screwed onto or otherwise attached to the container 10. A suitable source of power is then applied to the element 30 which causes the rotary blades to rotate at a high speed through means of the drive shaft 28. The construction of the device, particularly the provision of the oblique holes bored through the stationary plate blade, is such to provide a pumping and shearing action which effects thorough homogenization of the material within the container.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applyin current knowledge readily modify such embodiments an or adapt them for various applications without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the disclosed embodiments. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description. and not of limitation.

What is claimed is:

I. An homogenizer for laboratory usage capable of homogenizing animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur and other bio-materials, comprising:

a generally cylindrical container for the material to be homogenized, having an open top end;

a removable cover for the open top end of said container;

a drive-shaft housing connected to said cover and projecting downwardly within said container, a drive-shaft rotatably carried within said drive-shaft housing, and means on said cover for effecting rotary movement of said drive shaft within said housing;

means to pump and to cut, macerate and homogenize material within said container including a pair of interengaging and radially extending blades which pair of blades comprise a stationary plate blade and a rotary blade immediately axially adjacent and below said stationary plate blade, said plate blade being mounted to the bottom end of said shaft housing and having an axial opening extending therethrough, a plurality of relatively large openings spaced about said axial opening and extending through said plate blade at an oblique angle, the edges of said plate blade forming said oblique openings constituting shearing edges cooperating with the edges of said rotary blade, said rotary blade being connected to said drive shaft through the axial opening in said plate blade; and

means to additionally cut, macerate and homogenize material within said container and to assist in pumping such material through said oblique openings comprising a second rotary blade connected to said first-mentioned rotary blade and spaced axially from said plate blade therebelow.

2. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plate blade comprises a radially extending transverse, generally circular plate having a radius approximately equal to the inner radius of said cylindrical container.

3. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 2 wherein four oblique equally spaced openings are provided in said plate blade.

4. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first-mentioned rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed blade elements.

5. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed, radially extending blade elements disposed at right angles to said blade elements of said first mentioned rotary blade.

6. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed inclined blade elements disposed at an angle to said blade elements of said first-mentioned rotary blade. 

1. An homogenizer for laboratory usage capable of homogenizing animal bone, gristle, cartilage, fur and other bio-materials, comprising: a generally cylindrical container for the material to be homogenized, having an open top end; a removable cover for the open top end of said container; a drive-shaft housing connected to said cover and projecting downwardly within said container, a drive-shaft rotatably carried within said drive-shaft housing, and means on said cover for effecting rotary movement of said drive shaft within said housing; means to pump and to cut, macerate and homogenize material within said container including a pair of interengaging and radially extending blades which pair of blades comprise a stationary plate blade and a rotary blade immediately axially adjacent and below said stationary plate blade, said plate blade being mounted to the bottom end of said shaft housing and having an axial opening extending therethrough, a plurality of relatively large openings spaced about said axial opening and extending through said plate blade at an oblique angle, the edges of said plate blade forming said oblique openings constituting shearing edges cooperating with the edges of said rotary blade, said rotary blade being connected to said drive shaft through the axial opening in said plate blade; and means to additionally cut, macerate and homogenize material within said container and to assist in pumping such material through said oblique openings comprising a second rotary blade connected to said first-mentioned rotary blade and spaced axially from said plate blade therebelow.
 2. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plate blade comprises a radially extending transverse, generally circular plate having a radius approximately eqUal to the inner radius of said cylindrical container.
 3. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 2 wherein four oblique equally spaced openings are provided in said plate blade.
 4. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first-mentioned rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed blade elements.
 5. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed, radially extending blade elements disposed at right angles to said blade elements of said first mentioned rotary blade.
 6. An homogenizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said second rotary blade comprises a pair of oppositely directed inclined blade elements disposed at an angle to said blade elements of said first-mentioned rotary blade. 